Privilege of King Sigismund I the Old regarding the shoemakers' guild of the city of Lviv

Sigismund, by the grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Lord and Heir of Chełmno, Elbląg, Pomerania, etc. We announce by the wording of this [document] to all and singular to whom it may concern, present and future, who shall receive knowledge of this. Whereas, while we were staying here happily, the shoemakers of our city of Lviv appeared before our presence and complained bitterly that there are many shoemakers in the Lviv suburb who, operating outside the guild, practice the craft, by which they burden them not a little. Therefore, they humbly beseeched us that we might deign to provide a suitable remedy for them in this matter. And since a ruler should not refuse to listen to the just requests of his subjects, we have willed and decided that, by the order of the magnificent Stanisław of Chodecz, [Marshal] and Voivode of the Kingdom and Starosta of Lviv, [the same] shall order and ensure that henceforth no more shoemakers in the suburb, outside the brotherhood of these shoemakers, shall dare to practice [the craft], with the exception of those two masters who are accustomed to working at the castle. Also, the aforementioned Lviv shoemakers complained how [...] there are many craftsmen working in leather, therefore they asked that we might deign to designate a free market for arriving and buying hides, when the product of one is brought and sold. We, not wishing that our faithful and useful subjects be oppressed [...] to sell and prepare leather days [...] days they are to buy. Ordering and deciding this otherwise [...] Furthermore, the aforementioned shoemakers complained how merchants are accustomed to buying and possessing hides in Ruthenia [...] of the city and operating on the streets, buying from newcomers so that they cannot reach the hands of shoemakers and other craftsmen. Therefore, wishing to have regard for the benefit of our subjects, we decide and decree that henceforth no merchant or foreign peddler [?], whether that merchant be a burgher or our subject, any Ruthenian, merchant, or Jew, shall dare to go outside the city to the fields and streets and buy from arriving people such small or large [hides], under penalty of forfeiture of such cloths [?], we decide and decree that also the Ruthenian and Jewish merchant, of whatever status and condition they might be, shall not openly or publicly dare from arriving people, from whom large or small [...] under penalty of forfeiture of these goods. Therefore, to you, the magnificent Stanisław of Chodecz, Marshal and Starosta of Lviv, as well as to the bailiffs and councilors of the city of Lviv, we entrust and command that you protect the aforementioned shoemakers according to this our ordinance in whole and in part and have [these rights] preserved henceforth. In testimony of which our seal has been appended to this [document]. Done and given in our city of Lviv, on the Wednesday next after the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and twenty-four, and in the eighteenth year of our reign. [Chancery note on the left:] Krzysztof of Szydłowiec, Chancellor [...] / Krzysztof of Szydłowiec [...] [Chancery note on the right:] Relation of the magnificent Krzysztof of Szydłowiec, Voivode and General Starosta and Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland. [Verso:] [Later note, 17th/18th century:] shoemakers [Ink stamp:] ARCHIVE OF ANCIENT ACTS OF THE CITY OF LVIV [Pencil signature:] 732

Sigismundus Dei gratia Rex Polonie, magnus dux Lithwanie, Russie, Pruffie, Culmen, Elbinge[n], Pomeranie[que] etc. dominus et heres. Significamus tenore presencium quibus expedit universis et singulis presentibus et futuris harum noticiam habituris. Quia nobis hic feliciter agentibus accesserunt ad conspectum n[ost]rum sutores civitatis n[ost]re Leopolien[sis] et graviter questi sunt, q[uo]d essent multi sutores in suburbio Leopolien[si] qui extra fraternitatem agentes artificium exercent, in quo non mediocriter ipsos agravarent. Supplicarunt itaq[ue] nobis humiliter, ut in ea re de remedio illis opportuno providere dignaremur. Et quia iustis peticionibus subditor[um] a principe obaudire non debent, voluimus et decrevimus, ut de significatu magnifici Stanislai de Chodecz capitaneus [tak, l. capitanei] ac palatinus [l. palatini] Regni et capitaneus [l. capitanei] Leopolien[sis] provideat et efficiat, ne deinceps plures sutores in suburbio extra fraternitatem ipsorum sutoru[m] exercere non audeant, preter eos duos magistros qui ad arcem laborare solent. Jtem questi sunt etiam memorati sutores Leopolien[ses], qualiter p[er] essent admodum a p[ri]stinis curritatem eorundem multi sint artifices corrigio laborantes, ideo supplicarunt ut indicere dignaremur liberum forum veniendi et emendi coria cum elaboratum unius adveheretur et procedetur. Nos nolentes subditos n[ost]ros fideles et utiles aggravari [...] ad vendendum et corrigia conficiendum dies [...] dies sint empturi. Hoc al[ite]r ordinando et decernentes [...] Pret[er]ea questi sunt sutores prefati, qualiter mercatores coria in Ruthenia emere et habere solent [...] civitatis et in plateis operantes ab advenis emles ita q[uod] ad manus sutorum et aliorum artificum pervenire non possunt. Jdeo commoditati subditorum nostrorum consulere volens decernimus ac statuimus, q[uod] deinceps nullus mercatorum ac forensium fauntharinorum [?] sive sit talis mercator civis aut subditus noster quivis Ruthenus aut mercator aut Judeus non audeat extra civitatem in campos et plateas exire ac emere huiusmodi parvas aut magnas ab hominibus advenientibus, exempto sub ammissione talium pannorum [?] statuimus et decernimus q[uod] eciam mercator Ruthenus et Judeus cuiuscunq[ue] status et conditionis sint clare vel manifeste non presumant ab hominibus advenis de quibus magnos aut parvos [...] sub ammissione eorundem mercimoniorum. Quocirca vobis magnifico Stanislao de Chodecz Marschalco et capitaneo Leopolien[si] damusque preconibus et consulibus civitatis Leopolien[sis] committimus quatenus prefatos sutores secundum hanc ordinationem nostram in toto et in parte conservetis et confervatas amodo habebitis. In cuius rei testimonium sigillum nostrum presentibus est appensum. Actum et datum in civitate nostra Leopolien[si] feria quarta proxima post festum sancti Luce Evangeliste, Anno domini Millesimo quingentesimo vigesimo quarto, Regni vero nostri decimo octavo. [Nota kancelaryjna po lewej:] Crisostomus de Schidlowyecz can[cellarius] [...] / Cristoforus de Schydlowyecz [...] [Nota kancelaryjna po prawej:] Relatio magnifici Cristofori de Schydlowyecz palatini et capitanei generalis ac Regni Polonie cancellarii. [Verso:] [Nota późniejsza, XVII/XVIII w.:] szewcy [Pieczęć tuszowa:] ARCHIWUM AKT DAWNYCH MIASTA LWOWA [Sygnatura ołówkiem:] 732